Waste retainer for journal boxes



March 2, 1943. J, 5, HEAD 2,312,713

- WASTE RETAINER FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed Sept. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I QIO m WM March 2, 1943. J s HEAD 2,312,713

WASTE RETAINER FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed Sept. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 2, 1943 2,312,713 WASTE RETAINER FOR. JOURNAL noxss John 8. Head, Florence, S. 0., assignor of oneiourth to Melvin Purvis, and one-fourth to Joseph B. Reeves, both of Florence, S. 0.

Application September 15, 1941, Serial No. 410,936

8 Claims. (Cl. 308-89) My invention relates to waste retainers for journal boxes ofrailway cars or the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a retainer of the above-mentioned character which may be readily placed within and removed from the conventional railway car journal box without in any way altering the construction of the journal box.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which will permit of: the desired removal of the waste or packing .while the device remains in place within the journal box.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which when installed within the journal box will permit of the use of the proper amount of waste or packing as required by the railway association.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which will hold the waste or packing against upward displacement whereby it cannot pass between the journal and the brass, which is one of the causes of a "hot box.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which will also hold the waste or packing against horizontal displacement. I

A iurther object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which will remain in place when installed within the journal box and will not turn or rotate therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is through a journal box, having vmy waste retainer installed therein, taken on line l-l of Figure 2, Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view oi the retainer removed, and v a transverse vertical section versely spaced elongated loops l9.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the retainer removed, parts in vertical section.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l0 designates a journal box of a railway car, such as a passenger car. This is a conventional journal box and has a curved bottom II and vertical ribs i2, be-

tween its ends. The journal box of a railway freight car is substantially the same but the ribs l2 are omitted. The journal box has a lid l3. I4 is the axle having a journal l5 engaging with a brass or bearing element l8 arranged above the journal and the brass I6 is arranged beneath a float l1. i8 is the waste held within the bottom of the journal box. The railway association requires that a certain volume of waste must be used in packing the journal boxes and the amount of waste cannot be reduced below the requirements.

My waste retainer comprises a pair of trans Each loop comprises a bottom rod 20, which is preferably rigid and which may be formed of iron or the like. Near the back end of the rods 20 is a bridge rod 2|, also preferably rigid and formed ofthis application and in which like numerals of iron or the like and this bridge rod is rigidly attached to the bottom rods 20 by bolts 22 or the like. The bridge rod 2| is preferably longitudinally curved in a vertical plane to conform to the curvature of the bottom of the journal box. The numeral 23 designates a flexible apron, which is formed of elastic material, such as sheet rubber, or elastic fabric having rubber threads. This apron extends between the bottom rods 20 and is attached thereto by rivets 24 or the like. The apron is wider than the transverse space between the bottom rods 20 so that it has a fullness enabling it to assume a position whereby it will be curved in cross-section. This apron is designed to conform to the curvature of the bottom ll of the journal box; and to provide a large engaging surface between the waste retainer and the journal box so that there will be no tendency for, the retainer to turn or rotate about its longitudinal axis in the journal box. Since this apron is elastic it will stretch and will not interfere with. the insertion of the waste retainer in the journal box or its removal therefrom. While I prefer to use this apron the At the back end, each longitudinal bottom rod I 9 is bent upwardly to provide an upstanding rear post or end 25. Each loop further comprises an upper longitudinal rod 21, which is preferably rigid and may be formed of iron or any other suitable material. The upper rod 21 is covered throughout the major portion of its length by a sleeve or tube 28, which may be a section of rubber hose, or fabric hose, and this hose extends beyond the back end of the upper rod 21 and receives the post 26 in its open end. The hose is thereby securely mounted upon the post 26 and also serves as a hinge connection between the rod 21 and the post 26. Any other suitable form ofhinge connection may be used but it is preferred to use the hose connection as it also provides a non-metallic covering for the rod 21, preventing sparking, which might possibly occur if the journal could contact with the metal rod 21. The front end 29 of the rod extends beyond the hose 28 and is adapted for insertion within a hook 30 formed upon an upstanding front post or end 8|, preferably formed by bending the front end of the bottom rod 20 upwardly.

In use, when the retainer is being inserted within the journal box, the upper rods 21 are preferably held in the lowered position. The lid of the journal box is raised and the waste is removed and the retainer is then inserted into the journal box throughthe front end thereof. This may be readily effected since the bridge 2| will readily pass the front end of the journal and the apron 23 being elastic, will stretch, as the retainer is moved into the back position within the journal box. when the journal box has the ribs l2 they will enter the notches 24 in the rods 20. The retainer being thus positioned within the journal box, .the top rods 21 are released from the hooks 30 and the rods 21 will swing upwardly until their front ends engage the top of the journal box. The waste is now introduced into the journal box and the journal box packed in the usual manner, with the required amount of waste. This waste is arranged between the top rods 21 and the bottom rods 20 and the posts 26 are disposed at the back of the waste and the posts It at the front of the waste. The top rods 21 are now swung downwardly and their ends 21 engaged within the hooks 80. In the lowered position the top rods 21 are preferably arranged near the elevation of the center of the journal l5 slightly beneath the elevation of the center. Since the top rods 21 are disposed above the waste and since the topv rods and their covering extend transversely and longitudinally throughout substantially the entire area of the waste between the journal and the sides of the journal box, the waste is held pressed down and cannot be carried up by the rotation of the journal and portions of the waste cannot pass between the journal and the brass. Further, the rods 21 hold the waste down and retain it in firm engagement with the journal thus producing a uniform lubrication. The. posts of the loops also hold the waste against horizontal displacement particularly in a forward direction. When it is desired to remove the waste, the upper rods 25 are released from the hooks 3d and the sections of hose 28 being resilient will automatically swing the free ends of these rods upwardly. Hence the front ends of the loops are open and the waste may be removed while the waste retainer remains in place within the journal box.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of myinvention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, separate spaced loops to be arranged within the journal box near the opposite sides of the journal and to extend longitudinally of the journal, each loop comprising a bottom, top and ends, the waste introduced into the journal box passing into the loops, the tops of the loops being adapted for holding the waste against vertical.

displacement and the ends of the loops being adapted for holding the waste against horizontal displacement, and means connecting the separate loops including a substantially rigid bridge rod rigidly attached to said bottoms to retain the separate loops properly spaced, and a flexible apron secured to said bottoms and having a width greater than the space between said bottom so that the flexible apron will properly frictionally engage with the bottom of the journal box.

2. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, spaced loops adapted for arrangement within the journal box in substantial vertical planes near the opposite sides of the journal, each loop comprising a bottom, a top and ends, the top being carried by the back end and having detachable connection with the front end so that the top can be moved to raised and lowered positions, the tops being adapted for preventing the vertical displacement of the waste and the endsbeing adapted for preventing the horizontal displacement of the waste. 7

3. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, spaced loops adapted for arrangement within the journal box in upstanding planes near the opposite sides of the journal, each loop comprising a bottom, a top and ends, the top being carried by the back end, said top having a free front end, the front end of the loop having a hook to detachably receive the free front end of the top, and a transverse member connecting the bottoms.

4. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, spaced loops being adapted for arrangement in upstanding planes within the journal box near the opposite sides of the journal, a bridge rod connecting the lower portions of the loops, said bridge. rod being disposed and terminating adja-, cent to the rear ends of the loops, and a flexible sheet connecting the lower portions of the loops and arranged to engage with the bottom of the journal box, said flexible sheet being arranged in advance of the bridge rod and extending throughout the major portion of the length of the loops, said flexible sheet having a width greater than the space between said loops.

5. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, spaced loops being adapted for arrangement in upstanding planeswithin the journal box near the opposite sides of the journal, means for connecting'the loops so that they retain a proper position in use with relation to each other, and a flexible sheet connected with the lower portions of the loops and extending between them to engage with the bottom of the journal box, said flexible sheet having a width mater than the space between the loops.

6. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, spaced loops, a transverse rigid member connecting the loops near their back ends, and an elastic and flexible sheet connecting the lower portions of the'loops and extending between them to engage with the bottom of the journal box.

7. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, separate spaced loops adapted for arrangement within the journal box and adapted for disposal in substantial vertical planes near the opposite sides of the journal box, each 100p comprising a bottom, a top and front and rear ends, each top being adapted for preventing the vertical displacement of the waste, each top being connectedwith the bottom in the same loop so that the top may be raised and lowered,

the front and rear ends of each loop being adapted for preventing the horizontal displacement of the waste, and a bridge rod substantially rigidly connecting the loops and retaining the same spaced, the bridge rod being arranged and terminating adjacent to the rear ends.

8. A waste retainer for journal boxes comprising, spacedwaste retaining devices, each device comprising a front and rear end, a top hinged at its rear end to said rear end of the device to swing in a. substantially vertical plane longi tudinally of the device and having a front free end, means for detachably securing the free end of the top to the front end of the device, and means for connecting the devices to hold them in spaced relation.

JOHN S. HEAD. 

